This invention relates to a portable two-piece motorcycle windshield particularly designed to be compact enough in its disassembled state to fit into a pouch which can be carried in a saddlebag or placed in a luggage or other container carried on the motorcycle. Many motorcycle riders prefer not to ride with a windshield, particularly during the day and during good weather. During bad weather a windshield is very desirable as a safety device to promote visibility and to prevent discomfort or even injury which can result from rain or sleet impacting the face of the rider at high speed. In many areas of the country, particularly at night, insects are a serious problem and may appear without warning. Even small insects can cause pain or injury if hitting the face of the rider at high speed. Rider""s goggles can protect the eyes, of course, but the face and neck are left unprotected.
There is therefor a need for a windshield which is compact, completely removable from the handlebars of the motorcycle, which is portable enough to be stored on the motorcycle, which can be quickly assembled and placed on the handlebars when desired and just as easily removed and stored on the motorcycle when its use is no longer necessary or desired.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a windshield for use on a motorcycle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a windshield which is portable enough to be stored and carried on the motorcycle when not in use.
It is another object of the invention to provide a windshield which can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled when necessary without any or minimal tools.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a portable two-piece motorcycle windshield assembly, comprising an upper windshield panel having a lower edge and a lower windshield panel having an upper edge with a shape complementary to the shape of the upper windshield panel defining the lower edge. Connecting means are provided for releasably connecting the upper windshield panel and the lower windshield panel together. The lower edge of the upper windshield and the upper edge of the lower windshield mate together in edge-to-edge aligned registration with each other to collectively form a two-piece windshield. A pair of connector brackets are carried adjacent a bottom edge of the lower windshield panel for releasably attaching the assembled windshield to handlebars of a motorcycle.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the connecting means comprises a pair of upper connector rods releasably attachable to the upper windshield panel, and a pair of lower connector rods releasably attachable to the lower windshield panel. Attachment members are provided for releasably connecting the upper and lower pairs of connector rods together end-to-end.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector means comprises an upper pair of connector rods releasably attachable to the upper windshield panel, each of the pair of connector rods having a lower end adjacent the lower edge thereof, each of the upper pair of connector rods having a through bore therein. A lower pair of connector rods is releasably attachable to the lower windshield panel, each of the lower pair of connector rods having an upper end adjacent the upper edge thereof with a threaded bore therein. A pair of threaded bolts is extended through respective ones the bores in the upper pair of connector rods and threaded into the threaded bores of the upper ends of the lower pair of connector rods for releasably connecting the upper and lower pairs of connector rods together end-to-end.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the pair of lower connector rods has a threaded bore in a lower end thereof, and each of the pair of connector brackets includes a bore therethrough for permitting each of the brackets to be attached by a threaded bolt extended through the bore in the bracket and threaded into the threaded bore of the lower end of the pair of connector rods.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper and lower windshield panels are curved along a vertical axis to define an aerodynamic, forwardly-facing convexity when mounted on a motorcycle.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper and lower windshield panels are each polycarbonate.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector rods are releasably attached to the upper and lower windshield panels by fasteners extended through bores in the upper and lower windshield panels and attached to the connector rods. The fasteners preferably comprise screws.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector means comprise a pair of handlebar clamps, each of the handlebar clamps including upper and lower clamp segments having a semiannular recess therein for fitting onto respective upper and lower sides of a motorcycle handlebar.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a portable two-piece motorcycle windshield assembly comprises an upper convex windshield panel having a lower edge, a lower convex windshield panel having an upper edge with a shape complementary to the shape of the upper windshield panel defining the lower edge, first and second laterally spaced-apart connectors secured to a surface of the upper and lower windshield panels for releasably connecting the upper windshield panel and the lower windshield panel together wherein the lower edge of the upper windshield and the upper edge of the lower windshield mate together in edge-to-edge aligned registration with each other to collectively form a two-piece windshield, and a pair of connector brackets carried adjacent a bottom edge of the lower windshield panel for releasably attaching the assembled windshield to handlebars of a motorcycle.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the connectors comprise elongate members secured to a concave, rearwardly-facing surface of the windshield panels.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the elongate members comprise annular rods having a flat surface for residing flush against the windshield panels.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the windshield assembly includes a carry pouch having first and second pockets for receiving the upper and lower windshield panels.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the carry pouch comprises a motorcycle saddle bag for being attached to a side of a rear wheel of a motorcycle.